Piston



c. J. PERRY Feb. 24, |1942.'

PIs'ToN Filed sept. 5, l1939 s sheets-sheet 1 'til fdl /nven'qr C/arence J Perry A orne y Feb.r24, 1942.' c. J. PERRY l Y 2,274,304

PISTON Filed Sept. 5, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Y .76 /.9.8.- 16g/a0 77 /n Ver; for

C/arence d Perry Feb. 24, 1942. c. J. PERRY PisToN Filed Sept. 5, 1959 3 sheets-sheet s as l l.

In ven for Clarence Ll- Perry ,Parental Feb. 24, 1942 PISTON, Clarence J. Perry, Los Angeles,lCali f. Application September 5, i939, Serial No. 293,424

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for creating a vacuum and/or pressure Within confined spaces. 'I'he means consist principally of a cylinder provided with a novel piston which. has an extension for manual operation thereof. One end of the cylinder is provided with a resilient cup so as to make an air tight seal with the surface to which it is to be temporarily attached. The piston is' free to be readily. reciprocated by hand so as to cause agitation of fluids Iand solids, such as the cloggings in a drain pipe,

in order to loosen them. When vthe solids are i loosened, a high positive pressure or vacuum, may .be exerted to remove them. This is done by forcing the piston forwardly in the cylinder or rearwardly respectively. Such a device is commonly called a plumbers force and suction pump, but such a term for applicants device is purposely avoided.

Applicants invention is not limited, however, to the use of clearing drains and the like, but has a general utilitarian use and'xnay be used for attachment to various surfaces which are to be removed, and which generally are very diillcult to remove by ordinary manual means. Such a surface may be the lens and its peripheral shell of an automobile head lamp. automatic means are provided to hold the vacuum inthe cylinder so vthat the hands of the operator are free for turning the cylinder andy hence the surfacev to which it is attached. There are various kinds of removable cylinder ends and the like which are hard to remove or practically impossible to remove unless some particular tool is at hand, but with applicant's suction tool, they can be removed with ease.

An object of the invention is to presenty a device whlch is simple in construction, cany be economically manufactured, and which is very effective for creating pressures and/or vacuums connector or coupler of the device is firmly attached to a surface.

Other objects, advantages and features of my invention will appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed descriptiomthe preamble of these specifications and the ap' pended claims.

Applicant is about to illustrate and describe one or more forms of his invention in order to teach one howto make, use and vend the same, but it is to be understood that the drawings and description thereof are not to limit the invention in any sense whatsoever, except as limited by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows vthe invention in longitudinal section. i

Fig. 2 shows the invention taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 shows a section taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction For such a use,

indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 1s a section taken along the une 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 shows a cross section of a modifled form l modied form of a part of the invention.

or in causing agitation of fluids and solids in clogged pipes and the like.

Another object is to providea suction device capable of holding tightly to a surface which is to be shifted or removed by either a direct pull or by torsion. y

Still another object is to provide novelv constructed pistons, for vacuum and/or pressure cylinders. which are resilient and designed to snugly slide along the bore of the cylinder in a perfectly uid tight iit.

And still another object is to provide a vacuum and/or pressure device which automatically holds the pressure or vacuum condition vas long as the Fig. l0 shows another form of the invention,

partly in elevation, and partly in section thereof.

l1 shows a part of the invention taken along the line il-ii oi Fig. 10.

Fig. l2 is a view similar to Fig. llbut showing a part thereof in a different position.

Fig. 13 shows a part of the invention in perspective view.

p Fig. 14 shows a part of the invention takenV substantially along the line Iii-I4 of Fig.. l5.

Fig. 15 shows a view, partly in section, taken substantially along line l5-l5 of Fig. 10.

Numeral I in the drawings represents a cylinder ofmetal or any other vmaterial suitable for the purpose, which is shown as having an opened bottom which is adapted to snugly accommodate a circular wall section 2 of a resilient cup 3. This cup has a. flared wall section l which terminates in a lower edge 5 which is intended to make contact with any surface, not shown, to make a gas tight seal therewith. Although various resilient materials may be useful as the substance of such a cup-rubber or some of its derivatives,

or compositions containing rubber, may best be suited for the purposes intended.

within the wan a of the cup is a metallic cir'- cular band 6 which is cut as at 1 to allow adjustment thereof' in order to snugly engage the wall 2 and pres's firmly against the internal wall of the cylinder I.

. similar to the beads, in the flange II and of the cover I2. This cover is designed to substantially close the top of v the cylinder. The cover has a central hole I3 which is of such size as to permit the easy movement of a piston rod I4 therethrough. In order to prevent air friction, a plurality of vent holes la are provided in the upper side walls of the cylinder I. The top of the piston rod is threaded as indicated by I5 to accommodate the threaded bore of the boss I6 which is xed to a rod-like handle I1. The end of the rod internally of the cylinder I is provided with a piston I8. The piston comprises cups I9 and 20 which are joined to. gether by a spacer portion 2| which is materially less in diameter than the .cups so as to provide an annular space 22. 'Ihe cups are arranged back to back, in the manner shown, so as to have their open sides 23 and 24 facing in opposite directions. Each cup is conflgurated so as to form circular edges 25 and 26 respectively which have diameters slightly less than the diameter of the cylinder, and acute angled edges21 and 28 respectively which have diameters substantially equal to the internal diameters of the cylinder.

The cups I9 and 20 and their spacer 2| are preferably one integral piece of resilient material such as rubber, leather or any well known nuts 33 and 34, arranged as shown, so that when nuts 33 and 34 are screwed toward one another, the convexed washers 3I and 32 will be brought closer together so that the ends 35 thereof will compress the outer ends o f the cups I9 and 26 and thus cause expansion of the outer edges 21 and 23 of the cups so as to bring these edges into gas tightseal with the internal surfaces of the cylinder I. By this arrangement, withdrawal or upward movement of the piston I8 will causea suction in the lower part of the cylinder, or the downward movementof the piston will cause pressure in the lower part of the cylinder, such suction or pressure being communicated to any surface or device connected with the cup 3.

In order to hom the piston in any downward or upward position, the rod I4 is provided on one in the lower portion of the cylinder with at least one hand free for other purposes.

The dog 3!!v is provided with a cylinder 4U closed at one end thereof by plug 4I. The plug has a bore through which slides a rod 42, one end of which is fixed to the center of dog 39 and the other end to a knurled nger knob 43. The cylinder is provided with side slots 44 and 45 which extend into a recessed circular groove 46. Fixed to `each side of the dog are short pins 41 and 48 which extend into the slots 44 and 45 respectively, see Fig. 5. Within the bore of the cylinder 40 is a coiled compress spring 49 which constantly urges the dog toward the piston rod I4.

When it is desired to hold the piston near the -handle end of the cylinder I, the dog 39 is positioned with respect to the rack 31 as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. But when it is desired to hold the piston at the lower end of the cylinder, the dog is turned upside down by pulling on the knob 43 so as to free the pins 41 and 8 from their respective slots so that-they can be turned in the groove 46 and the pin 41 placed in slot 45 and pin 43 placed in slot 44. In order to bring the rack 36 into engagement with the dog, the piston and rod is rotated by turning the handle I1, the handle being turned in a direction not to unthread it from the rod I4.

Fig. 6 shows a modied form of piston to be substituted for the one shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This piston comprises two resilient cups 50 and 5I which have angled anges 52 and 53 respectively. ing edges 54 and 55 respectivelywhich maintain gas-tight sliding connection with the bore walls of the cylinder. The cups are spaced apart by a washer 56 to form the space 51. Eachcup 50 and 5I is provided with a. plain washer 58 and 59 and a convexed washer or curved plates 60 and 6I respectively, asshown. The convex washers have their edges curled as at 62. The cups and washers are provided with holes at their centers `to receive the piston rod. When the convexed washers are drawn together, they will cause the edges 54 and 55 to make closer contact with the walls of the cylinder as set forth in the descrip- 64. Integral with the cup is a spacer boss to maintain an air space 66 between the washer and cup. Within the cup is a substantially flat washer 81 and a convexed washer 68. The cup has an ,annular ange 69 which terminates into an annular edge 10 adapted to engage the bore of the cylinder I. The cup disc and washers have holes to receive the threaded piston rod I4. The usual nuts 33 and 34 are s hown for holding the piston to the rod. By drawing the nuts closer together, the edge 1I! will be brought into more intim-ate contact with the internal walls of the cylinder I.

Fig. 9 illustrates still another form of piston which can be substituted for pismn ls shown 1n side thereof with a tooth rack 31 and on the other side thereof with av tooth rack 38.l These racks are arranged in the manner shown so that when the rack 31 is engaged by the dog.39, downward vmotion of the rod is arrested whereas when the rack 33 is engaged bythe dog '33, upward motion of the rod is arrested. This holding feature enables the device to maintain suction or pressure Fig. l. This piston has cups 1I and 12 joined together A.by a spacer 13, each cup having a boss portion 14 and 15 respectively. The cups and their respective bosses, and their common spacer, are made as an integral piece from any desirable resilient material. The cup 1I isprovided with Aa small washer 16 and a large convexed washer or curved plate 11; the cup 12 is provided with f similar 'washers 13 and 19. Each convexed washer has a turned rim portion to engage a beveled surface'll ot the flanges 32 of their re- These flanges have bore engagspective cups. The space between the cups, from integral end fold |81 having a space |88 adapted,

their portions 93, diverges outwardly so that there is ample room to allow the bottoms of the flanges 82 of each cup to move for plenty of adjustment of the edges 84 against the internal walls of cylinder i.

In the form of the invention lshown in Figs. to 15 inclusive, the reference character 85 indicates the cylinder which has a closure cap 89 at theupper end and a resilient "sealer element 81 at its lower open end. The cap has a to receive the other end |88 of the band in the manner shown in Fig. l5. Where the fold ends central hole through which passes the piston rod 89, the hole being large enough to allow the rod Ito freely reciprocate therethrough.. Within the cylinder is a piston 89 attached to the rod; this piston may be any piston suitable for the purpose, but for the sake of eflicient operation, the piston shown in Fig. 6 is indicated.

'I'he piston rod 88 extends above the cap and has its top end provided with. a T-shaped handle 88. Threads 9| are shown along the rodto provide friction for a holding plate 92. Although the invention is fully operative with a smooth rod 88, it is preferred to roughen the rod to some extent in order to more securely hold the rod and hence its piston where desired.

lThe plate means 92 is preferably congurat'ed as shown most clearly in Fig. 13 of the drawings. The plate consists of a flat area 98 with a downwardly turned ange 94. The fiat area has an angled slot 85 arranged as shown and large enoughto receive the rod 88. 'I'here should be onlyenough free play -between the rod-and slot sides to allow`the plate to take the position shown in Fig. 10 so that it will wedge the rod therein and prevent its movement. The slot has two legs as indicated by 96 and 91. When it is `desired to hold the rod in a certain position, the

plate 92 is shifted so as toforce the rod into the slot leg 91 as clearly shown in Fig. 11. When the rod is in the slot leg 86 the flange is parallel with the sides of the cylinder, see Fig. 12,

so that the rod .can freely reciprocate through the slot end 88. v

The sealer 81 is preferably rubber and has a ared annular opening 88 formed byvresilient inclined walls 99 which have a triangular crosssection |88. Integral with thewall 99 is an upstanding annular flange |8| which snugly nts the outer 'side o f the cylinder wall 85. An annular groove |82 is provided and also a short upstanding annular wall |88. The groove snugly engages the lower annular end of the cylinder 85. Annular'beads |84 andy-|85 are provided to increase the gripping action between the cylinder wall and the upstanding flange |8|.

, In order to securely hold the sealer to the cylinder end, a' band or belt ofmeta1`|88 is employed. This band is longer than the perimeter of the ange |8| and is provided at one end with an ||8 and overlap they are soldered or welded.

' By slipping the end |89 through the fold and .pulling it tight around the vflange |8|, it will securely hold the sealer ontoA thecylinder ends so that the flange will not slip over the beads |84 and |85. The band is locked by turning it -sharply as indicated at I2 and folding it back on itself, see Fig. 15. y

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: I

1. In a pistonfor pumps and the like including spaced apart members having peripheral inclined edges adapted to engage the internal walls of a cylinder, curved plate means with a peripheral flange attached to the piston for forcing the edges outwardly, said flange engaging the inclined edges of the members.

2. In a piston for pumps and the like including resilient members having peripheral anges which terminate into peripheral edges, means separating the members to form relatively large annular spaces between them, curved means ad- .instable against the members to force the edges v thereof outwardly.

3. 'I'he piston recitedin claim 2 wherein the members and the first recited `means are an integral piece. l

4. In a piston'for pumps and the like including cup-like members Joined together at their centers'by a short spacer element forming a deep annular recess between the members, peripheral inclined flanges on said members having. pripheral edges, curved plates having peripheral anges resting against the inclined por- =ton of said flanges and adapted to shift the edges outwardly.

5. In a piston for pumps and the' like includ-` ing cup-like members Joined together, avspacer between the members forming a deep annular recess, said members having their outer portions divergent with respect to one another, peripheral edgesfon said members directed in opposite directions, thin plate means having anges positioned on opposite sides of the piston and adapted to force the edges in an outwardly diametrical direction when the means are drawn toward each y other.

CLARENCE J. PERRY. 

